Fire Station 69 will be open to the public this Saturday for Fire Service Day.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, May 14, kids and adults alike can sit in a fire truck and meet the firefighters at Station 69 (corner of Sunset and Carey).
Captain Tommy Kitahata was the 2020 Firefighter of the year.
Captain Thomas Kitahata, who was named firefighter of the year 2020, said they are happy to welcome the public back to the station after a two-year absence because of Covid.
In Los Angeles, the second Saturday of each May is designated as “Fire Service Recognition Day.”
LAFD spokesperson Nicholas Prange said, “We place great value on our community relationships. We hope you will come and spend part of your day with us and learn about the services we offer, interact with firefighters, increase your fire safety knowledge and enjoy some FREE family fun.”
At Station 69, there will be tours of the facility and paramedic demonstrations.
Captain Kit said firefighters will be demonstrating the “jaws of life.” There will also be 100-foot aerial ladder and demonstrations with thermal imaging search and rescue cameras.
There will be free sandwiches from Firehouse subs, a sandwich company. Some of the proceeds from that company go to first responders.
There will be Station 69 T-shirts available—it might make the perfect gift for Father’s Day in June.
The CERT team will be on hand to answer questions, and also recruit. CERT a community emergency response team, and it educates volunteers about disaster preparedness. Volunteers are trained in basic first aid skills, fire safety, light search, and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations.
The purpose of CERT is to act as a “force multiplier” in the event of a disaster. The teams provide support while professional emergency responders focus on more skilled, dangerous and critical assignments.
Firefighters from Station 69 transported Santa and Mrs. Claus and the elf to Simon Meadow. Now local residents can also sit on the truck on Fire Service Day.
Photo: Rosalie Huntington